The kiss caught me completely off guard, even though some part of me had been waiting for it all night.
His lips were soft at first, gentle, like he was testing the waters, but then it deepened, his hand sliding from my cheek to the nape of my neck, pulling me closer.
Unlike our previous kisses: the quick, obligatory ones, like at the wedding or that tense moment after his confession about his parents, this one felt real, electric, like a spark igniting something we'd both been ignoring.
There was no audience, no performance; it was just us in the quiet hallway, his warm body pressed against mine, my heart pounding so hard I thought he could feel it.
If I were to keep count, this would be our first true kiss, the kind that stays with you long after it's over, making me feel breathless and wanting more.
Axel pulled back slowly, his forehead resting against mine, both of us breathing heavily. "Convinced yet?" he whispered in a husky voice.
